The advantages of working in situ are great, for by so doing the carver sees his job as he works under the same conditions of light and environment that it will finally be seen under, and the work is more likely to become a part of the place because it has grown there.
And it is good to carve an Inscription on the actual wall of a fine building, and better still to work in the inspiriting atmosphere of building in progress, or to work in the open air where the artificial notions of workshop or studio are dissipated and the feeling of life and freedom gained.
FOOTNOTES TO APPENDIX B:
[119] With which we may include Arabic numerals.
[120] It should be clearly understood that legibility by no means excludes either beauty or ornament. The ugly form of “Block” letter so much in use is no more legible than the beautiful Roman lettering on the Trajan Column (see Plates [I.], [II.]).
[121] Roman small-letters and Italics, being originally pen letters, are still better understood if the carver knows how to use a pen, or, at least, has studied good examples of manuscripts in which those letters are used.
[122] Some advice from the letter-cutter might be useful to the client as to the number of words and the space they will occupy in cases where it is possible to adapt the one to the other.
[123] Small lettering is less convenient to read out of doors, and is apt to get filled with dirt or moss.
[124] Whenever it is possible the carver should not be bound to follow a drawing strictly, but should do his work in the straightforward manner described above. Unfortunately he is often obliged to set out the whole Inscription exactly before carving it, and in such a case it is usual to carve the bottom line of letters first and to work upwards, cutting the first line last.
[125] Really sharp, i.e. sharp enough to cut a piece of paper without tearing it.